Many people feel that a meat thermometer is so you don’t under cook meat. I refer to these people as “the people who ruin meat and are not worthy of a cows sacrifice to create a steak”.

Now don’t get me wrong there are minimum temps different meats should be cooked to, but very few people would actually eat and under cooked piece of chicken. The problem here is you take the poor bird out before it is done, cut into it and ruin that wonderful roasting you had going as now it must go back in cut open.

So yes, a meat thermometer can help you make sure meat is done, but that is its second greatest use. Its higher use is to ensure meat is not over cooked. And that is why you need one of these. I have gotten pretty good at doing steaks by eye, no matter how, frying pan, broiler, gas grill, charcoal, you name it I can nail it by eye and touch.

Well that is until I am trying to make 4 steaks and they have been requested to be 1 rare, 2 medium rare and 1 medium well (which I call almost ruined). With a thermometer you remove each steak at just the right time, every time. What you want your steak “well done”, okay you will have to do it yourself, I don’t ruin meat. Perhaps I can interest you in say a pot roast

Seriously though, every good cook should have a good instant read meat thermometer. And the Perfect Cook – Digital Instant Read Thermometer is the best one I have found under 25 bucks, hell it is the best one I have found under 50 bucks but it is only 22 dollars. There are two things you need in a tool like this, first speed and the second is accuracy.

This one gives you a reading within one degree of accuracy in about 5 seconds or less. It will change the way you look at your grill because now you will know you can nail the internal temp you are looking for every time. It will also please your guest and in spite of my humor above, even the ones that insist on a “well done steak” even if you and I never understand their thinking.

P.S. – So I wondered why Perfect Cook dropped the price by half, my guess is because they have a new Wireless Meat Thermometer with 2 Probes as their flagship product at 29.99. I have not yet tested this one but I did order one. Perfect Cook as not yet let me down so I think this one is worth giving a shot to. I have been underwhelmed with the accuracy up till now with remote plug and let sit thermometers. I will report back on this one, BUT, remember you can always return anything you are unhappy with at Amazon so this may be worth a shot.

P.S.S.– This item ships free on any order over 25 bucks, they likely did that since they knocked it down in price by 50%. So if you don’t have a set of the Zicome Set of 4 Basting Brushes I recommend for 8.99, you may as well add them to your order. They are simply the best BBQ brushes I have found, they can’t fail since they are molded from a single piece of Zicome.

At about 2.24 a piece they are cheap for something you will use often and that will last for years. I have yet to wear one out. But you know what, even with that you are still under 25 bucks, so add in a couple packs of my favorite Thai Dried Chilies which are stupid cheap considering they come strait from Thailand.

With that for under 28 bucks, you get the thermometer, the chilies, the basting brushes, all for not much more than the thermometer used to sell for alone.

Plus one for the Thermoworks products. I use their Mk4 and RT600C models and they work great and last for many years. All the food plants I’ve been in use Thermoworks items so you know it’s good stuff.

Thanks I’ll have to try this. Last year, I bought two digital thermometers from the grocery store… what garbage. The first had a battery compartment designed in such a way that it was impossible to replace batteries without the thing disintegrating. The second looks more properly designed but is flaking out and blinks on and off for no apparent reason even if I haven’t pressed the button.

So, I’ll give this one a try in the hopes it is going to be more reliable.